"R" title help.

[240vert]

So my brother is looking into a 2004 Mustang GT. Only issue is that it has an R title. It was in an accident with 300 miles on it back in 04. The owner and the guy who fixed it, Dakota motors, in Red Lion said there was no frame damage and all that was replaced was the bumper and radiator and things around that area. My brother didn't tell me too much more than that.

I kind of find it hard to believe that a brand new car would have been totaled, even if it would have needed headlights, hood, bumper, fenders, radiator, condenser, rad support, bumper crash bar, and maybe air bags.

I kind of think they're may have been more than what they're telling us.

Any experts on this? I don't want him getting screwed. I didn't really see any red flags. No odd noises, drives straighter than some new cars, tires are evenly worn with just about less than half tread up front.

[rocknrace03]

well i wouldn't consider myself an expert, but i have worked in a body shop for the past 5 years and i can tell you that if it was totaled with only 300 miles on it one of two things happened, it was either bent up really bad and had extensive repairs done ( keep in mind to total a car is usually 80% of its value) or it could have been totaled due to it being so new, on some rare occasions insurance companies will total your car and buy you a new one because they don't wanna get complaints that some unrelated issue is now their fault because the car was in an accident and blah blah, but that is a very rare case, I've only ever seen it happen twice and it was on 60k$ + cars, i would see if they can prove what exactly happened. but if it was fixed properly by a quality shop there should be no reason why the car would be any different then one that wasn't wrecked, regardless paper work is your friend, hope this helps, good luck

[BOOBAYS]

2 words... Car Fax

[92accordex]

Carfax isnt everything. It will say car was in an accident and title was reconstructed. I would probably stay away from it. It will effect resale value unless the new buyer REALLY wants it. If your brother is keeping it forever, F it. Buy it. If not keep shopping. Theres 10 cleantitle cars for every 1 reconstructed.

[BOOBAYS]

^^ True, I would still buy it if it's a killer price.
Some people are dumb jack off's and they still try to sell their cars for kbb value even though it's a R-title.
Hope he gets a good deal if he goes for it. I always think it's supposed to be like 50% off kbb of a non-R title vehicle.
But that "rule" might not apply if that car is worth a lot or whatever, I donno. I'm not really into "american cars"

[EklipzGSXkid]

If it's a reconstructed title, It already went through the process of fixing/inspection, So you can now just buy it and transfer it to your name like any other normal car, And drive it. As for being a branded title. I believe as soon as your air-bags go out, the title is branded salvage. I can be wrong, But i've bought many salvage/reconstructed cars this past year alone that had no major damage, But were branded salvage cars.

[Mr.2jz-GE]

in my opinion if someone in the family is a great mechanic i would do it as long they have paper work and such to prove the work. As for re selling it is extremely hard to sell back and even trading it in for dealership. I got my is300 for 4k with 72k miles(went to a 97 civic to a lexus//air bags never went off) I plan I keeping it for a while but re selling will be hard as I tried couple times just to see people really do not like r title. About the car fax some dealerships can "clean it" or "flush it?" if thats what its called im not sure.

[EklipzGSXkid]

I believe that when you have the mindset of an r-title car being worth less (In reality it is), But when you constantly think about it especially when re-selling, That reflects the actual selling price alot being it's more then likly brought up numerous times to the buyers, Which turns them away. I just sold a reconstructed car last month for a large sum of money (although less then it's worth with kbb), And the buyer didn't think twice about it. However I have had bad luck some times when selling them because I over hype the r-title and keep mentioning it over and over which turns buyers away and scares them. (I don't get too many of them though unless it's a good enough deal I can't pass on).

[01 Trans-Am WS6]

If the car was wrecked in 2004 with 300 miles on it, it needed a whole lot more than a bumper and radiator. For a car to be issued a salvage title the damage has to exceed 70% of the value of the vehicle. Brand new in 2004 a Mustang GT retailed for what, $25,000? Figure around 70% value that means the damage was close to the $20,000 range, very expensive bumper and radiator if you ask me.


As cars depreciate the chance of finding a car with a branded title that wasn't seriously wrecked is greater. Now figure that same Mustang GT was wrecked now in 2011, the book value on the car is now what, $7000? That means it would only take a minor accident to add up to 70% the worth of the vehicle, alot more believable as the vehicle ages.

The car may have been fixed properly, if your claiming the original owner still has the car and owns a repair shop, im sure its fine. But I would still never pay anywhere near top dollar for the car, depending on the miles, condition, and how it drives I would pay no more than somewhere in the $4000 range for it. Remember even if it has low miles, its because it was sitting for quite a while busted up waiting to be repaired.

[240vert]

He wanted $8500 which I knew was a little high. But I finally got my brother joining forums and looking in other places than auto trader.

Now only if I could get him to spend a little more and get a Mach 1 or Pre terminator Cobra

Thanks for all your help, car was clean, but I knew selling it for near what he would pay wouldn't work out too well.

[01 Trans-Am WS6]

Wow $8500 is high for an r-title Mustang. Theyre are more cars out there, recently when I was car shopping I was finding 99-04 body style GT's with superchargers for around $7000.

[c7scayman]

I heard that if the crash is hard enough to deploy the airbags, it is considered totaled even if there is no frame damage.